“Dealing with the Drink”: A Case for Reviewing Gradual Regulation of Teenagers’ Access to Alcohol

Alcohol has long been a part of the social fabric of Australian culture – a fact almost irreconcilable with the finding that alcohol has been the causal factor in 5% of deaths and hospitalisations over the past decade. Although some links exist between the availability of alcohol and density of supply, the findings are not as determinative as one would hope. That reform is necessary in this area has been universally accepted by scholars, but how is it best to achieve this in a political system that favours liberalisation and deregulation, and an industry that fights against anything that would reduce their market share? This article proposes a gradual legalisation of alcohol consumption, backed by parental supervision and education, that balances individual autonomy and development into adulthood against the risks of rapid overexposure to alcohol.